(she/her)
New to Grow
Happiness is a Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner licensed in New Jersey with over 9 years of experience in psychiatry, including outpatient clinics, inpatient units, and community mental health services. She graduated from Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and earned her Master’s degree (Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner) from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Happiness has worked in corrections and various mental health settings, including Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital and Harmony Bay Wellness. She strives to create a safe space where individuals feel heard, care centers on the whole person, honors individual experiences, and empowers clients to take an active role in their mental health, healing, and wellness.
The first session is about understanding you. It’s a structured but supportive conversation designed to build a clear picture of you as a whole person, your mental health, and to create a safe starting point for the best treatment plan together. This is your time to share what brought you in and what you're hoping to get out of treatment. We’ll conduct a comprehensive assessment, which includes discussing your current concerns, symptoms, and any medical or psychiatric history that may be relevant to your treatment. You will also be asked about any medications you're currently taking and may be asked about lifestyle factors or family history that could influence your mental health. After we’ve reviewed this information, we’ll discuss potential treatment options. These might include therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, or a combination of these approaches. By the end of the session, we’ll review the next steps, which may involve scheduling follow-up appointments, further assessments, or starting a treatment plan. Clients can expect to leave each session feeling heard, understood, supported, and empowered to take an active part in their mental health journey.
As a compassionate provider, the client experience I create makes me unique. Many psychiatric clients have felt rushed, dismissed or reduced to diagnosis. I allow my clients to tell their story, reflect emotions back with empathy and have their struggles validated without judgement. Most of my clients have stated "This is the first time I felt truly heard"
I provide holistic, compassionate, evidence-based, and culturally responsive psychiatric care to adolescents and adults navigating anxiety, depression, and life transitions. I support perinatal and postpartum mothers experiencing mood and anxiety disorders while also helping high-functioning adults with burnout find holistic support and medication management.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I have had clients who present with symptoms of anxiety and depression, but expressed that their main concern was feeling overwhelmed due to work stress. The client's experienced problem, "work stress and feeling overwhelmed," becomes my entry point of care. The focus shifts from treating the diagnosis to helping the client regain control and functioning in their life.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Our thoughts influence how we feel, and how we feel affects what we do. If one changes thinking and behavior patterns, mood and anxiety often improves. I integrates structured, skill-based psychological interventions into assessment, treatment planning, and follow-up visits, even within medication management appointments.